Coupling for compressed gas piston driven nailing and fuel cartridge

ABSTRACT

The coupling ( 13 ) is used for a fuel cartridge ( 2 ) outlet nozzle ( 1 ) designed to supply a compressed gas mounting device with compressed gas and an intake nozzle ( 3 ) on the device&#39;s intake system ( 4 ). It includes the means of sealing, designed to ensure a seal between the two nozzles ( 3,1 ) and the means of maintain the seal between the cartridge ( 2 ) and the intake system ( 4 ). The coupling is a single piece formed to ensure a seal and maintain it between the cartridge ( 2 ) and the intake system ( 4 ).

[0001] A compressed gas driven piston nailing or plug-mounting device with a compressed gas supply in the form of a fuel cartridge containing the liquid-state compressed gas in an inner casing. In addition to the fuel the cartridge contains, between the inner and outer casing, a propellant to keep the fuel in a liquid state. A male outlet nozzle is connected to the inner casing and projects through the outer casing.

[0002] At each firing, a specific dose of compressed gas is injected from the fuel cartridge into a combustion chamber in the mounting device, said quantity being correctly determined only if the compressed gas is in a liquid state.

[0003] To determine the quantity of compressed gas injected into the combustion chamber, mounting devices often include a solenoid valve with a compressed gas intake nozzle.

[0004] Known intake systems, such as that described in FR 2 771 796, use a male intake nozzle, inside a socket formed by a peripheral protective skirt. This intake nozzle is designed to cooperate with an outlet valve on the cartridge, removing the valve from its seat to allow the gas to be transferred from the cartridge into the device's intake system. During the transfer operation, leaks must be prevented around the cartridge valve and the device's intake nozzle. To this end, often, and in particular in the case of the cartridge described in FR 2 771 796, the cartridge's outlet valve extends into a male nozzle, which cooperates with the device's male intake nozzle inside an appropriately outfitted coupling.

[0005] The coupling contains a gasket extending along both sides of the mating surfaces of both male nozzles and is held inside an adaptor covering inserted into the mounting device's solenoid valve protective socket as well as a protective socket on the compressed gas cartridge.

[0006] This invention attempts to overcome this multiplicity of components.

[0007] To this end, the invention covers a coupling for a compressed gas mounting device fuel cartridge outlet nozzle and an intake nozzle in the device's gas intake system, designed to prevent leaks between the two nozzles and the means to prevent leaks between the cartridge and the intake system, said coupling consisting of a single piece and shaped to prevent leaks between the cartridge and the intake system.

[0008] The sealing and holding coupling may include a tubular sealing and holding adaptor around the two nozzles, which may be extended by a ring shaped holding base.

[0009] The adaptor's inner wall may be shaped to form a seal between the two nozzles by their lateral walls, with the possibility of an internal recess for containing any leaked gas.

[0010] The sealing adaptor may also be equipped to provide a seal between the two nozzles with ring-shaped surfaces against the cartridge's and the intake system's transverse collars.

[0011] In this case, the adapter may be a smooth adaptor or a bellows-shaped adaptor.

[0012] The adapter may also seal the ends with 0-rings placed in the adapter's recesses.

[0013] In another implementation, the coupling is formed to be force mounted between the cartridge and the intake system, with the means for sealing and counter-coupling placed in the cartridge to maintain the seal.

[0014] The invention will be better understood with the following description of several coupling implementations, referencing the attached drawing, on which:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a half-cutaway drawing of a first implementation of the coupling;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a half-cutaway drawing of a second implementation of the coupling;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a half-cutaway drawing of a third implementation of the coupling;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a half-cutaway drawing of a fourth implementation of the coupling and

[0019]FIG. 5 is a half-cutaway drawing of a fifth implementation of the coupling.

[0020] Referencing FIG. 1, the invention coupling, in all its various implementations in all the attached figures, is designed to connect outlet nozzle 1 on liquid-state compressed gas cartridge 2 and intake nozzle 3 on solenoid valve 4 for gas intake on a compressed gas mounting device. Both nozzles are male.

[0021] Intake nozzle 3 extends inside socket 5 formed by solenoid valve 4's peripheral skirt 6.

[0022] Intake valve 3 and base 7 on recess 5 form a ring-shaped “transverse” collar 8.

[0023] Outlet nozzle 1 extends outside socket 9 formed by peripheral skirt 10 on cartridge 2 and extends central contact stud 11 with which it forms a ring-shaped “transverse” collar 12.

[0024] Coupling 13, providing a seal between nozzles 1 and 3, is a single piece. Its shape allows it to fulfill its sealing function and its holding function between cartridge 2 and solenoid valve 4.

[0025] Coupling 13 is made up of tubular sealing and holding adaptor 14 extending to ring-shaped holding base 15.

[0026] Adapter 14 has a straight cylindrical outside lateral surface 16, on the same axis 17 as the solenoid valve and the cartridge, and an irregular inner lateral surface 18, forming an internal recess 19 for holding leaked gas and two ground-down adapter ends 20, 21. Holding recess 19 extends on either side of the mating surface of both ends, when they are placed together the seal is provided by outer lateral walls 31, 33 on the nozzles and ends 21, 20 (FIG. 1).

[0027] Coupling 13 is held in the solenoid valve's two collars 8 and 12 and the cartridge by adapter 14's two ground-down edges 20 and 21.

[0028] However, it is more particularly by the pressure exerted by the adapter on either side of recess 19, against the two nozzles, the end of the free ground-down adapter 20, against solenoid valve collar 8 and holding base 15 against central contract stud 11 and cartridge 2's skirt 10 that coupling 13 is held in operating position between the solenoid valve and the cartridge. Holding base 15 includes central disk 22, orthogonal axis 17, extended by peripheral skirt 23, noticeably cylindrical, along axis 17, ending in flange 24 placed, with light force, in recess 25 located on the inner wall 25 of skirt 10 on the cartridge.

[0029] The invention coupling implementations in FIGS. 2-5 are designed for the same solenoid valve—cartridge set as for FIG. 1, therefore it is unnecessary to describe these two elements again or reference them on the figures, except for those that are necessary for describing the structure and operation of the coupling implementations.

[0030] Coupling 213 in FIG. 2 is largely similar to that in FIG. 1. It is differentiated by inner lateral wall 218 on adapter 214 which is a straight cylinder, as is outer wall 216, and by adapter 214's edges 220 and 221, which are not ground-down but have recesses 227, 228 placed in their transverse ring-shaped surfaces 229, 230 for o-rings 231, 232 designed to press against collars 8 and 12. With coupling 213, the seal is provided by the ring-shaped surfaces on ends 229 and 230.

[0031] Coupling 313 in FIG. 3 is distinguished by the fact that it includes only a tubular sealing adaptor 314, which is smooth, with inner 318 and outer 316 lateral surfaces composed of straight cylinders, without a holding base. Adapter 314 extends around both nozzles 1 and 3 where it is laterally pressed and the two annular surfaces 329, 330 press against collars 8, 12 slightly compressed along the axis. Ring-shaped surfaces 329 and 330 and inner lateral surface 318 provide the seal. Adapter compression is created by the fact that its length at rest is slightly greater than the distance between the free ring-shaped surface of central contact stud 11 on the cartridge, around nozzle 1, and solenoid valve 4 socket 5 base 7.

[0032] Coupling 413 in FIG. 4 is highly similar to that of FIG. 3. It is only distinguished by the structure of the inner 418 and outer 416 lateral walls, which are not smooth but bellows-shaped.

[0033] Coupling 523 in FIG. 5 includes an undulated sealing and holding adapter 514 with a first edge 533 pressing against collar 8 and solenoid valve 4 and, a second opposite edge 534, against collar 12 and cartridge 2. With an inner rib 535, close to edge 533, the adapter presses against the intake nozzle 3 and, with an outer rib 536, close to edge 534, it presses against the peripheral skirt 6 of the solenoid valve 4. In this example, truncated holding skirt 537 extends from an area close to edge 534 between outer rib 536 and edge 534 and ends with curved shoulder 538 forced into recess 25 in cartridge 2's skirt 10's inner wall. Skirt 537 creates the means of counter pressure, which in recess 9 on the cartridge maintains the seal created by adapter 514. 

1.- Coupling (13;213; 313; 413; 513) for an outlet nozzle (1) on a fuel cartridge (2) designed to supply compressed gas to a compressed gas mounting device and an intake nozzle (3) on the device's gas intake system (4), including the means for sealing, designed to create a seal between the two nozzles (3, 1) and the means of holding the means of sealing between the cartridge (2) and the intake system (4), coupling made of a single piece, shaped to create and maintain a seal between the cartridge (2) and the intake system (4). 2.- Coupling according to claim 1, including a tubular sealing and holding adaptor (214; 214; 314) surrounding two nozzles (1, 3). 3.- Coupling according to claim 2, wherein the adapter (14; 214) is extended by a ring-shaped holding base (15). 4.- Coupling according to claim 3, wherein the holding base includes a peripheral skirt (23) ending in a flange (24). 5.- Coupling according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the adapter (14) has an irregular inner lateral surface (18), with an internal recess (19) for holding leaked gas. 6.- Coupling according to claim 5, wherein the parts of the adapter on either side of the recess (19), the free end (20) of the adapter (14) and the holding base (15) are designed to hold the coupling in its operating position. 7.- Coupling according to claim 5, wherein the adapter (214) includes sealing edges (220, 221) with recesses (227, 228) for o-rings (231, 232). 8.- Coupling according to claim 1, wherein the adapter (314; 414) is placed to create a seal between the ring-shaped end surfaces (329, 330). 9.- Coupling according to claim.8, wherein the adapter (314) is smooth. 10.- Coupling according to claim 8, wherein the adapter (414) is bellows-shaped. 11.- Coupling according to claims 9 and 10, wherein the adapter (314; 414) is designed to be compressed. 12.- Coupling according to claim 1, wherein the adapter (514) is undulated, containing pressure and sealing edges (533, 534) and ribs (535, 536). 13.- Coupling according to claim 12, wherein a holding skirt (537) extends from an area near one of the ends of the adapter (534). 